Apparatus for exhibiting display panels

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for exhibiting display panels of the type in which each panel is provided with a top transverse rod having its end portions projecting beyond the lateral margins of the panel. The apparatus includes front endless carrier members for lowering the panels one at a time past a front viewing area, and rear endless carrier members for raising the panels one at a time past a rear viewing area for viewing the display on the rear surface of the panel. The apparatus further includes top transfer rails permitting the rod portions of the panels to feed down to the front carrier members from the rear carrier members, and declining transfer rails permitting the panels to gravitate down from the bottom of the front endless members to the bottom of the rear endless members. Escapement mechanisms are located at the lower end portions of the upper and lower rails for substantially simultaneously feeding one panel at a time to the upper end of the front endless members and to the lower end of the rear endless members. A single escapement lever is pivotally supported in the upward path of a panel on the rear endless members for engagement and simultaneous actuation of the escapement mechanisms. The apparatus further includes separate front and rear motors for driving the corresponding endless members independently of each other, and control means for driving the motors at different times and at different speeds, if desired.

United States Patent [191 Modglin APPARATUS FOR EXHIBITING DISPLAYPANELS [76] Inventor: Donald D. Modglin, 924 Rodney Dr., Nashville,Tenn. 37205 [22] Filed: Mar. 14, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 234,498

Primary Examiner-Wm. H. Grieb Att0rney-Harrington A. Lackey [57]ABSTRACT An apparatus for exhibiting display panels of the type in whicheach panel is provided with a top transverse rod having its end portionsprojecting beyond the lat- Dec. 25, 1973 eral margins of the panel. Theapparatus includes front endless carrier members for lowering the panelsone at a time past a front viewing area, and rear endless carriermembers for raising the panels one at a time past a rear viewing areafor viewing the display on the rear surface of the panel. The apparatusfurther includes top transfer rails permitting the rod portions of thepanels to feed down to the front carrier members from the rear carriermembers, and declining transfer rails permitting the panels to gravitatedown from the bottom of the front endless members to the bottom of therear endless members. Escapement mechanisms are located at the lower endportions of the upper and lower rails for substantially simultaneouslyfeeding one panel at a time to the upper end of the front endlessmembers and to the lower end of the rear endless members. A singleescapement lever is pivotally supported in the upward path of a panel onthe rear endless members for engagement and simultaneous actuation ofthe escapement mechanisms.

The apparatus further includes separate front and rear motors fordriving the corresponding endless members independently of each other,and control means for driving the motors at different times and atdifferent speeds, if desired.

6 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 5 HS SiEHZBfS APPARATUS FOREXHIBITING DISPLAY PANELS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to an apparatus for exhibiting display panels, and moreparticularly to a rotary type apparatus for exhibiting both sides of adisplay panel.

Rotary type apparatus for exhibiting display panels having toptransverse rods having projecting end portions for engagement by lugs onendless chain members and also for support upon inclined tracks areknown in the art. US. Pat. Nos. 1,058,853 of Farley and 1,230,313 ofNeese disclose such rotary type display panel exhibiting apparatusincluding escapement mechanisms.

However, it is not believed that the rotary exhibiting apparatus made inaccordance with this invention, including independently driven front andrear panel carrier members for simultaneously actuated escapementmechanisms exist in the prior art, much less the specific constructionof the escapement mechanism made in accordance with this invention orthe combination of elements incorporated in this invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide anapparatus for exhibiting indicia or information on both the front andrear surfaces of a display panel at different times through respectivefront and rear viewing areas, and to be able to control the movement ofthe panels for optimum effect of the display information through therespective viewing areas.

A specific example of the type of use to which this apparatus can beadapted is serially rotating panels, the front surfaces of which displaydirectory information and the rear surfaces of which display advertisingliterature. In order to benefit interstate travelers and also themerchants of products and services to interstate travelers, such anapparatus could be located in a filling station, a motel, a restaurant,an airport or a travel information center. Upon the front surfaces ofthe panels could be displayed directory information to inform thetravelers of the names, addresses, telephone numbers, locations andavailable services of motels, restaurants, automoblie service stations,sight-seeing attractions and other information regarding localfacilities in which a traveler might be interested. The rear surfaces ofeach panel might include advertisements of local merchants which wouldcapture the attention of the viewer on the opposite side of theapparatus from that in which the directory information is displayed.

Each of the above panels is provided with a top carrier rod havingprojecting end portions adapted to engage the lugs of carrier chains orendless members moving vertically in the front and the rear of themachine. For example, the front carrier members or chains lower thefront panels to display the front surfaces of the panels in the frontviewing area, while a separate pair of rear endless carrier chains canelevate the panels past a rear viewing area. As the panel in the frontreaches its lowermost position, it is deposited upon rearward decliningrails causing the panel to gravitate rearward, where, in its turn, it isengaged by the lugs on the rear carrier chain for elevation to the topof the apparatus. A pair of top rails declining forward from the upperportion of the rear chains receive the rod portions of the panels afterthey have been raised past the rear viewing area for gravitationdownward and forward. Escapement mechanisms of substantially the sameconstruction are located at the lower end portions of the upper andlower declining rails for feeding one panel at a time to correspondinglugs on the front and rear carrier chains. The escapement mechanisms areconnected through a particularly constructed linkage to an escapementlever which is pivotally mounted about a transverse axis to normallyextend across the path of an upward moving panel carrier by the rearchains. Engagement by the top rod portion of the upward moving panelpivots the lever to actuate both escapement mechanisms at substantiallythe same time.

The front and rear endless chain carrier members are independentlydriven, preferably by separate electric motors. Also, the front motor ispreferably driven faster than the rear motor so that a panel in thefront viewing area may be moved faster to uncover the next paneldisplaying directory information. Thus, a slower moving panel in therear portion of the machine for displaying advertising literaturethrough the rear view area gives more time for a panel to remain in astationary position in the front of the machine for displaying directoryinformation.

A panel is moved faster past the front viewing area than the rearviewing area by three different methods. First of all, the travel of thefront endless members is shorter than the travel of the rear endlessmembers. Secondly, if desired, the front motor is operated to drive thefront endless members faster than the rear motor drives the rear endlessmembers. Thirdly, the apparatus includes a timer device and control forstopping the rear motor and holding the panel in the rear view area fora predetermined dwell time. Since the starting of the front motor iscontrolled by movement of a panel by the rear carrier members, thestationary time of the front carrier members isIncreased by the dwelltime of the rear carrier members.

It is also within the scope of this invention to provide controls forbypassing the timer device and the stoplimit switches to operate themotors continuously in order to speed up the exhibition of the displaypanels. Moreover, it is also within the scope of this invention toprovide control means to manually de-energize the motors in order tohold a particular display panel in a viewing area as long as desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front perspective view ofan apparatus made in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the apparatus disclosed in FIG.1, with portions broken away;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2, withportions broken away;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2, withportions broken away;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 6--6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation taken along theline 77 of FIG. 6 disclosing the lower escapement mechanism in holdingposition;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 of the escapement mechanism in afeeding position;

FIG. is a fragmentary end elevation of the lower escapement mechanism;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the line 1l-11 ofFIG. 5 disclosing the escapement lever in operative and inoperativepositions; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation taken along the. line12--12 of FIG. 5, disclosing the rear motor stop switch fingeractuation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings inmore detail, the apparatus 15 made in accordance with this inventionincludes a housing 16 having a front viewing opening 17, a rear viewingopening 18 and a front control panel 19. Adapted to be moved within thehousing 16 past the front viewing opening 17 and the rear viewingopening 18 are a plurality of uniform display panels 20 the top edge ofeach of which is secured to a top transverse rod 21 having end portionsprojecting laterally beyond the side margins of the panel.

A frame 23 within the housing 16 supports a front carrier including apair of front endless carrier members, such as belts or chains 24trained about upper sprockets 25 and lower sprockets 26 along oppositesides of the front viewing opening 17. Each carrier member 24 isprovided with a pair of carrier lugs 27 in transverse alignment, eachtransverse pair being adapted to support the opposite end portions ofthe top rod 21 of a panel. The front carrier members 24 are driven inthe direction of the arrows by front motor 28 through belt transmission29 and driven shaft 30 fixed to the lower sprockets 26.

Mounted in the rear portion of the frame 23 is a rear carrier includinga pair of endless carrier members in the form of belts or chains 32trained about transversely aligned upper sprockets 33 and lowersprockets 34. Each rear endless carrier member 32 carries a pair ofcarrier lugs 35, one lug on each member 32 being transversely alignedwith a carrier lug 35 on the other endless member. The carrier lugs 27as well as the carrier lugs 35 are equidistantaly spaced along eachendless member 24 and 32, respectively. The carrier lugs 35 are alsoadapted to support the projecting end portions of the top rod 21 for anypanel 20. The rear endless carrier members 32 are driven by rear motor36 through a belt transmission 37 to drive transverse shaft 38 to whichare fixed the lower sprockets 34. The rear endless members 32 arelocated on opposite sides of the rear opening 18 and are adapted to bedriven in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3.

The outer ends of each rod 21 are provided with enlarged cylindricalbearing caps 40.

Disposed on opposite sides of the frame 23 are a pair of forwarddeclining upper transfer tracks 42, the upper ends of which are adjacentthe upper sprockets 33 and the lower ends of which terminate adjacentthe upper sprockets 25 of the front carrier members 24. Specifically,the upper ends of the transfer tracks 42 are positioned to receive theend bearing caps 40 as the rear carrier lugs 35 carry the correspondingtop rod 21 over the top of the sprockets 33 so that the correspondingbearing caps 40 are deposited upon the tracks 42 for gravitationalmovement downward and forward.

In a similar manner, a pair of lower transfer tracks 43 decline rearwardfrom the vicinity of the lower sprockets 26 of the front carrier members24 and terminate at their lower ends adjacent the lower sprockets 34 ofthe rear carrier members 32. As best disclosed in FIG. 3, most of thepanels 22 are stored by suspension either from the upper track members42 or the lower track members 43, waiting their turn for conveyance, oneat a time, to the respective carrier members 24 and 32.

As best disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 7, the lower ends of the lower transfertracks 43 form a cradle comprising curved pick-up rails 44 of circularconfiguration having the same center as the driven shaft 38 and spacedfrom the periphery of the lower sprocket 34 a distance to permit therear carrier lugs 35 to sweep along the curved rails 44 and pick up theprojecting end portions of a rod 21 of a panel supported on the cradle44.

To feed one panel 20 at a time from the lower transfer rails 43 to thecradle 44, are a pair of lower escapement mechanisms 45, best disclosedin FIGS. 3 and 6-10. Each lower escapement mechanism 45 comprises anelongated shaft 46 rotatably supported in bearings 47 above the lowertransfer track 43. At the lower end of the shaft 46 is fixed an enlargedannular head 48 having a radially extending leading finger or pawl 49and an axially spaced radially extending trailing finger or pawl 50.However, the trailing finger 50 extends in a different radial directionfrom the leading finger 49, as best disclosed in FIGS. 8 and 9. It willalso be noted in FIG. 7, that the axial spacing of the fingers 49 and 50is approximately equal to the diameter of the top rod 21.

Thus, it is seen in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, that when the leading finger 49 isin the depending position, as illustrated in FIG. 7 and 8, the leadingrod 21 is prevented from gravitating into the cradle 44. Moreover, thetrailing finger 50 is raised to permit the next succeeding rod 21' tohave its end cap 40' gravitate freely in abutment against the leadingend cap 40.

However, when the rotary shaft 46 is rotated in the direction of thearrow in FIG. 9, the leading finger 49 is raised above the leading toprod 21, so that the leading top rod 21 gravitates into the cradle 44.Simultaneously, the trailing finger 50 drops in front of the nexttrailing rod 21' to prevent the rod 21' from passing the escapement head48. Then when the rotary shaft 46 is counter-rotated to its originalholding position disclosed in FIG. 8, the leading finger 49 returns tohold the next trailing rod 21' until the escapement mechanism 45 isactuated again. In this manner, the actuation of the escapementmechanism 45 permits the feeding of one panel at a time to the cradle44.

In a similar manner, a similarly constructed escapement mechanism 52 islocated at the lower end portion of each upper transfer track 42. Theupper escapement mechanism 52 is provided with a rotary shaft 53 mountedin bearings 54, to the lower end of which is fixed a rotary escapementhead 55 having the same leading and trailing pawls as the lowerescapement head 40. Upon each actuation of the upper escapementmechanisms 52, the lowermost rod 21 is permitted to gravitate down overthe lower ends of the upper transfer tracks 42 and drop upon the forwardprojecting carrier lugs 27 for lowering of the corresponding panel 20 bythe front endless carrier members 24 past the front viewing opening 17.

The rotary shaft 46 of the lower escapement mechanism 45 is rotated by acrank arm 57 connected through a ball coupling 58 to the lower end of avertically disposed link rod 59. In a similar manner, the rotary shaft53 of the upper escapement mechanism 52 is rotated by a crank arm 60connected through a ball coupling 61 to the upper end of a connectingrod 62. The opposite ends of the link rods 59 and 62 are coupled throughappropriate journal connections to the same free end of an elongatedlink arm 64, the opposite end of which is fixed to a pivot shaft 65.

Depending from the pivot shaft 65 is an escapement lever 66, dependinginto the path of the end portion of a transverse rod 21 of an upwardlymoving panel 40 carried by lugs 35 of the rear endless carrier members32. The escapement lever 66 and the link arm 64 constitute the arms of abell crank pivotal about the shaft 65. The link arm 64 is many timeslonger than the operating or effective length of the escapement lever 66so that forward movement of the escapement lever 66 by merely thedistance of approximately the diameter of an end cap 40 will cause thefree end of the link arm 64 to which the link rods 62 and 59 areconnected, to travel a distance which is the multiple of the lateralmovement of the escapement lever 66. When the end cap 40 engages theescapement lever 66 to move it forward, the link arm 64 is raised tosimultaneously raise' both the link rods 62 and 59 causing both crankarms 57 and 60 to rotate their corresponding shafts 46 and 52 tosimultaneously actuate the escapement mechanisms 45 and 52. Accordingly,when the rod 21 of a panel 20 is picked up by a lower carrier lug 35 inthe pick-up station 44 and raised to actuate the escapement lever 66, apanel on the upper transfer track 42 and the lower transfer track 43 aresimultaneously discharged by the respective escapement mechanisms 52 and45 into the respective paths of forward carrier lugs 27 and lowercarrier lugs 35.

The actuation of the escapement lever 66 is best illustrated in FIG. 11.The construction of the escapement lever 66 is also best disclosed inFIG. 11. It will be noted that the escapement lever 66 has a leverportion 67, a gradually inclined cam surface 68 and an escape land 69 topermit the upward moving end cap 40 to pass the escapement lever 66.

As best disclosed in FIG. 3, a front start switch 70 is mounted on theframe 23 above the upper transfer track 42. An actuating switchfinger 7]depends from the front start switch 70 in front of a leading rod 21 heldby the escapement head 55. Thus, when the escapement mechanism 52 isactuated to release the leading rod 21, the falling rod 21 will move theswitch finger 71 to actuate the start switch 70, which is electricallyconnected to the front motor 28. The energized front motor 28 rotatesthe endless front belt members 24 which lower the panel supported by thefront carrier lugs 27 past the front viewing opening 17.

As best disclosed in FIG. 3, a front motor stop switch 72 is mounted onthe frame 23 adjacent the lower end of the front carrier members 24. Thefront stop switch finger 73 extends into the path of an upwardlytraveling front carrier lug 27. Thus, after the front carrier lug 27 hasbeen rotated around the lower sprocket 26 to deposit the display panel20 upon the lower transfer tracks 43, the upward moving carrier lug 27moves the switch finger 73 to actuate the front motor stop swtich 72which is electrically connected to the front motor 28. The front motor28 is de-energized to stop the movement of the front carrier members 24.Thus, the next succeeding display panel 20 is held by the upperescapement mechanism 52 in a stationary position for unobstructed viewthrough the front opening 17, until the next actuation of the escapementmember 52.

As best disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 12, a rear motor stop switch 75 ismounted adjacent the upper travel of the rear carrier members 32 and isprovided with a switch finger 76 extending across the path of an upwardmoving rod 21 of a panel 20 carried by the moving carrier members 32. Asthe upward moving rod 21 engages and forces forward the switch finger76, the stop switch 75 is actuated to open the circuit to the rear motor36 and thereby stop the movement of the rear endless carrier members 32.

In a preferred form of the invention, the rear motor stop switch 75 isalso electrically connected to a timer mechanism br device 78, whichafter a predetermined dwell time is programmed to restart the rear motor36 to resume the movement of the rear carrier members 32, and therebycarry the rod 21 and its corresponding panel 20 upward past the stopswitch finger 76.

In operating the apparatus 15, the rear motor 36 is started in anydesired manner. Assuming that the display panel 20 and the carrier lugs27 and 35 are in the positions disclosed in FIG. 3, the panel 20displayed through the rear opening 18 is elevated by the rear carriermembers 32 until the lifting lugs 35 move over the sprocket 33 anddeposit the end caps 40 of the top rod 21 upon the upper ends of theupper transfer tracks 42. The caps 40 then come to rest against theuppermost caps of the panel 20 in front of it. The lugs 35 then continuedownward on the return leg of the endless member 32 until they sweepabove the cradle 44 and engage the rod 21 of the panel 20 suspended inthe cradle 44.

This lowermost panel 20 is then elevated on the upward moving leg of thecarrier belts 32 until the end caps 40 engage the cam surfaces 68 of theescapement levers 66, gradually rotating each escapement lever 66 aboutthe shaft 65 and simultaneously elevating the link rods 59 and 62through magnified distances until each end cap 40 passes the escape land69 as disclosed in phantom in FIG. 11. In this position, both escapementmechanisms 52 and are actuated to release the leading panels suspendedat the lowermost portions of the transfer tracks 42 and 43.

The leading panel 20 at the lowermost end of the upper transfer tracks42 drops upon the forward carrier lugs 27, and in doing so trips theswitch finger 71 to actuate the front motor start switch 70 and energizethe front motor 28 to start the movement of the front endless carriermembers 24. The panel supported on the lugs 27 is then lowered until thelugs rotate round the lower sprocket 26, at which time the correspondingend caps 40 of the panel rod drop upon the rearward declining transfertracks 43 and come to rest against the next leading panel caps, wherethey remain in stored position until ultimately discharged at the lowerend of the transfer tracks 43. As the lug 27 rotates around the lowersprocket 26 it engages the switch finger 73 to de-energize the frontmotor 28 and stop the movement of the front carrier members 24. In themeantime, the other lug 27 has been moved over the top of the upperfront sprocket 25 and comes to rest in its forward projecting upperposition preparatory to receiving the next panel rod 21. After theendless members 24 have stopped, then the forwardmost panel 20 held bythe escapement head is fully exposed to view through the front opening17 and remains in this stationary, exposed position until the nextactuation of the upper escapement mechanism 52.

In the meantime, the lugs 35 on the rear endless member are still movingupward past the escape land 69 until the corresponding end caps 40 clearthe escapement levers 66, permitting the escapement levers 66 to returnby gravity to their original solid-line position in FIG. 11, preparatoryto being engaged by the next upward moving panel. The panel 20 continuesto move upward until the rear stop switch finger 76 is engaged and movedby the corresponding rod 21 to actuate the stop switch 75, which in turnde-energizes the rear motor 36 and simultaneously activates the timerdevice 78 to commence its dwell time. At the end of the dwell time, thetimer device 78 re-energizes the rear motor 36 to rotate the carrierbelts 32, and the cycle is repeated.

It will be understood, particularly as viewed in FIG. 2, that theescapement lever 66 is duplicated on each side of the apparatus forsimultaneous engagement by both end caps 40 ofa common panel rod 21.Moreover, all of the linkages between each escapement lever 66 and theescape mechanisms 52 and 45 are also duplicated on both sides of theapparatus for simultaneous operation at both ends of the correspondingpanel rod 21.

Both the front view opening 17 and the rear view opening 18 are providedwith marginal lamps 80 and 81, respectively, for illuminating theexposed front surface and rear surface of a corresponding panel exposedthrough the respective openings 17 and 18.

Interlocking switches 85, 86 and 87 having respective switch fingers 88,89 and 90 are provided to actuate the timer device 78 and thereby turnoff the rear motor 36 in the event that any one of the switch fingers88, 89 and 90 is not actuated at its usual time during each cycle. Thus,if a panel 20 fails to be discharged by the lower escapement mechanism45 into the cradle 44, then switch 85 will not be actuated at its normaltime, and consequently it will cause the rear motor 36 to stop. In asimilar manner, if no panel 20 is deposited by the downward movement ofthe front carrier members 24 upon the lower transfer racks 43, thenswitch 876 will 86 be regularly actuated, and accordingly the rear motor36 will be de-energized. In a similar manner, switch 87 will turn offthe rear motor 36 if the escapement levers 66 are not pivoted at theirnormal time, and the rear carrier members 32 move upward withoutcarrying a panel 20.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the control panel 16 may beprovided with a manually operated switch button 91, which, whendepressed, opens the circuit to both the front and rear motors 28 and 36and the timer device 78 in order to hold the panels 20 in a desiredposition, particularly in one or both of the viewing areas 17 and 18.The control panel 19 is also provided with a manually operatedpushbutton switch 92 whichcontrols a circuit to bypass the timer device78 in order to drive the rear motor 36 directly, in order to move thedisplay panels 20 more rapidly through their cycles. Of course,bypassing the timer device 76 will also cause the front motor 28 tooperate more often in order to move the panels past the front viewingarea 17 more rapidly.

In a preferred form of the invention, the front motor 28 is designed tomove the front carrier members 24 faster than the rear motor 36 movesthe rear carrier members 32. In this manner, panels 20 moved down pastthe front opening 17 are moved much more rapidly than a panel passingupward past the rear view opening 18, not only because of the fasterspeed of the carrier members, but also because the travel of the frontcarrier members 24 is shorter than the travel of the rear carriermembers 32. By moving a front panel 20 faster, the next succeeding frontpanel is in a position to be viewed longer in a stationary positionthrough the front opening 17. On the other hand, the rear surface ofpanels 20 moving upward past the rear opening 18 are viewed longer whilemoving. Such slower movement is ideal for advertising purposes, sincethe advertising material will attract more attention the longer it ismoved, and usually the information it displays is more casually viewedor read than is directory information on the front surfaces of panels 20viewed through the front opening 17.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for exhibiting display panels comprising:

a. a frame having top, bottom, front and rear portions,

b. a front carrier member mounted on said front frame portion forvertical movement, said front carrier member having means for carrying adisplay panel for vertical movement,

0. a rear carrier member mounted on said rear frame portion for verticalmovement, said rear carrier member having means for carrying a displaypanel for vertical movement,

d. motor means operatively connected to said front and rear carriermembers for driving said carrier members vertically,

e. first means for transferring display panels from said front carriermember at a first front elevated position to said rear carrier member ata first rear elevated position,

f. second means for transferring display panels from said rear carriermember at a second rear elevated position to said front carrier memberat a second front elevated position,

g. first escapement means operative to feed one panel at a time fromsaid first transferring means to said rear carrier member,

h. second escapement means operative to feed one panel at a time fromsaid second transferring means to said front carrier member,

i. a single trigger member mounted on said frame in the path of one ofsaid carrier members, for movement between an operative position and aninoperative position,

j. link means operatively connecting said trigger member to both saidfirst and second escapement means, so that both said escapement meansare operated through said link means to feed a panel from each of saidtransferring means, substantially simultaneously, to a correspondingcarrier member when said trigger member is in said operative position,and

k. said trigger member being adapted to be moved to said operativeposition by a panel on said carrier member moving in said path andengaging said trigger member.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said first and secondtransferring means each comprises a declining guide means for saidpanels, each panel having a transverse rod portion adapted to besupported for gravitational movement on said declining guide means, eachescapement means comprising a rotary shaft member, a leading finger anda trailing finger spaced apart axially of said rotary shaft member andprojecting radially from said rotary shafr member in different radialdirections, said leading finger normally depending in front of thelowermost rod portion of a panel on said guide means, said leadingfinger being rotated out of the path of said leading rod portion andsaid trailing finger being movable into the path of the next succeedingrod portion when said escapement means is operated, whereby said leadingpanel is released to feed by gravity from said correspondingtransferring means to said corresponding carrier member.

3. The invention according to claim 2 in which said trigger membercomprises an escapement lever mounted for pivotal movement about atransverse axis, said escapement lever being disposed in the verticalpath of a transverse rod portion of a panel carried by one of saidcarrier members, said escapement lever comprising one arm of a bellcrank, said link means comprising an elongated link lever constitutingthe other arm of said bell crank and being substantially longer thansaid escapement lever, said link means further comprising first andsecond link rods coupled to the free end of said link lever, first andsecond crank means respectively connected to said link rods andoperatively connected to the rotary shaft members of said escapementmeans to alternately rotate said leading and trailing fingers betweentheir operative and inoper- 10 ative positions.

4. The invention according to claim 1 in which said motor meanscomprises a front motor drivingly connected to said front carrier memberand a rear motor drivingly connected to said rear carrier member, afront start switch mounted on said front frame portion adjacent saidsecond front elevated position and connected to said front motor,whereby the engagement of said front start switch by a panel depositedon said front carrier member by said second escapement means causes saidfront motor to start driving said front carrier member, a front stopswitch located on said front frame portion adjacent said first frontelevated position and connected to said front motor, whereby engagementof said front stop switch by a panel carried by said front carriermember causes said front motor to stop, and said trigger member isadapted to be engaged by a panel on said rear carrier member.

5. The invention according to claim 4 in which said front motor drivessaid front carrier member at least as fast as said rear motor drivessaid rear carrier member.

6. The invention according to claim 4 further comprising timer means forautomatically starting said rear motor after a predetermined dwell time,and a rear stop switch mounted on said rear frame portion adjacent saidsecond rear elevated position and connected to said rear motor, wherebyengagement of said rear stop switch by a panel on said rear carriermember stops said rear motor and actuates said timer means to commencesaid dwell time.

1. An apparatus for exhibiting display panels comprising: a. a framehaving top, bottom, front and rear portions, b. a front carrier membermounted on said front frame portion for vertical movement, said frontcarrier member having means for carrying a display panel for verticalmovement, c. a rear carrier member mounted on said rear frame portionfor vertical movement, said rear carrier member having means forcarrying a display panel for vertical movement, d. motor meansoperatively connected to said front and rear carrier members for drivingsaid carrier members vertically, e. first means for transferring displaypanels from said front carrier member at a first front elevated positionto said rear carrier member at a first rear elevated position, f. secondmeans for transferring display panels from said rear carrier member at asecond rear elevated position to said front carrier member at a secondfront elevated position, g. first escapement means operative to feed onepanel at a time from said first transferring means to said rear carriermember, h. second eScapement means operative to feed one panel at a timefrom said second transferring means to said front carrier member, i. asingle trigger member mounted on said frame in the path of one of saidcarrier members, for movement between an operative position and aninoperative position, j. link means operatively connecting said triggermember to both said first and second escapement means, so that both saidescapement means are operated through said link means to feed a panelfrom each of said transferring means, substantially simultaneously, to acorresponding carrier member when said trigger member is in saidoperative position, and k. said trigger member being adapted to be movedto said operative position by a panel on said carrier member moving insaid path and engaging said trigger member.
 2. The invention accordingto claim 1 in which said first and second transferring means eachcomprises a declining guide means for said panels, each panel having atransverse rod portion adapted to be supported for gravitationalmovement on said declining guide means, each escapement means comprisinga rotary shaft member, a leading finger and a trailing finger spacedapart axially of said rotary shaft member and projecting radially fromsaid rotary shafr member in different radial directions, said leadingfinger normally depending in front of the lowermost rod portion of apanel on said guide means, said leading finger being rotated out of thepath of said leading rod portion and said trailing finger being movableinto the path of the next succeeding rod portion when said escapementmeans is operated, whereby said leading panel is released to feed bygravity from said corresponding transferring means to said correspondingcarrier member.
 3. The invention according to claim 2 in which saidtrigger member comprises an escapement lever mounted for pivotalmovement about a transverse axis, said escapement lever being disposedin the vertical path of a transverse rod portion of a panel carried byone of said carrier members, said escapement lever comprising one arm ofa bell crank, said link means comprising an elongated link leverconstituting the other arm of said bell crank and being substantiallylonger than said escapement lever, said link means further comprisingfirst and second link rods coupled to the free end of said link lever,first and second crank means respectively connected to said link rodsand operatively connected to the rotary shaft members of said escapementmeans to alternately rotate said leading and trailing fingers betweentheir operative and inoperative positions.
 4. The invention according toclaim 1 in which said motor means comprises a front motor drivinglyconnected to said front carrier member and a rear motor drivinglyconnected to said rear carrier member, a front start switch mounted onsaid front frame portion adjacent said second front elevated positionand connected to said front motor, whereby the engagement of said frontstart switch by a panel deposited on said front carrier member by saidsecond escapement means causes said front motor to start driving saidfront carrier member, a front stop switch located on said front frameportion adjacent said first front elevated position and connected tosaid front motor, whereby engagement of said front stop switch by apanel carried by said front carrier member causes said front motor tostop, and said trigger member is adapted to be engaged by a panel onsaid rear carrier member.
 5. The invention according to claim 4 in whichsaid front motor drives said front carrier member at least as fast assaid rear motor drives said rear carrier member.
 6. The inventionaccording to claim 4 further comprising timer means for automaticallystarting said rear motor after a predetermined dwell time, and a rearstop switch mounted on said rear frame portion adjacent said second rearelevated position and connected to said rear motor, whereby engagementof said rear stop switch by a panel on said rear carrier member stopssaid rear motor and actuates said timer means to commence said dwelltime.